The present invention relates to an apparatus for efficiently producing brick. More specifically, the invention relates to an automated, ultra low profile, continuously moving dryer, kiln and brick handling system which provides efficient, effective heating of the brick, and wherein the kiln uses only top burners. The invention thus eliminates the need for burners placed both on top and below the kiln or in other positions throughout the kiln to provide effective heating.
In a typical brick making process, unfired (green) bricks are stacked on the deck of a kiln car traveling on tracks through the kiln. The bricks are typically stacked on the kiln car in piles of about 14 bricks high. The brick stacks may have different configurations but typically the bricks are stacked so as to minimize the thickness of the stack, thereby allowing the hot gases in the kiln to more quickly and evenly heat the brick. The brick stacks are typically arranged in rows, with rows being separated by a distance of 2 to 6 inches which allows better hot gas circulation resulting in quicker and more even firing of the bricks. Brick producing plants producing bricks in this manner typically use a kiln firing time on the order of 30-80 hours, depending upon the particular raw material used to make the brick. Such lengthy firing times are necessary due to the amount and manner in which the bricks are passed through the kiln.
Some brick making systems use a "low profile" dryer and kiln. A typical low profile system uses a stack of bricks from 1-8 high. Such a low profile system is disclosed in Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,850. This patent discloses a low profile dryer and kiln, in combination with low mass kiln cars carrying stacks of bricks from high 1-8, which is able to utilize a greatly shortened drying and firing cycle. The present invention is an improvement over Applicants prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,850, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.